Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Faux Fireplace

We're in the process of moving. Slowly. And instead of packing boxes, I labor over stupid things like mantels for non-existing fireplaces. (I did the same thing for our wedding. Forget the dress - I wanted to talk table linens.) After choosing to go with the paint swatch on the lower left (Benjamin Moore #681), my next project is making this wall-jut-thing into a fake fireplace - or more like acting as the facade of the real one behind the plaster. I love mantels and am eyeing one on craigslist right now. I love how they can be the focus of a room. Distracting your guests, say, from the 57" television your husband wants to get. I refuse to get glasses, so I'm all for upgrading the size of our tv. That, and we like watching tv. But I really don't like tvs being the center of the room - blatently & unabashedly saying "this is what we do here." Even if that's true, I'd still like to pretend it's not. But is putting up a mantel without a real fireplace just masking the problem? What if I add pretty wallpaper (purple scratches below) in place of the fire? Still masking? Help!

I think you should decorate around how you live. A giant tv also says, we love to spend chill time together. If it is going over the mantle then a wallpaper insert might play games on the eye; constantly pulling it up to the tv then down to the floor. I would say use items (like Tommy suggested) that merge with the wall or the floor to create a sense of groundedness.

Way to go, Liz. And congrats on the move! I have the same setup at home and the non-working fireplace is the perfect nook for the TV. My next plan is to get a rolling screen with a pretty print to pull down like a window shade for when the TV is not in use...